Sodelpa member threatens Fiji Sun with court

A member of Fiji's opposition Sodelpa party says he plans to take the country's largest newspaper, the Fiji Sun, to court for what he says is consistently unfair reporting.

Photo: files

Peter Waqavonovono complained to MIDA after reading an article by Jyoti Pratibha that said he needed to shave and buy deodorant.

He also complained about another article that blamed opposition parties for being racist and divisive.

MIDA has ruled the article about the opposition parties was antagonistic, thoroughly yoked in the logic of race and bereft of facts, while the article about Mr Waqavonovono was defamatory and incriminating in nature.

Mr Waqavonovono says while he's pleased MIDA ruled in his favour, the response is nothing more than a strongly-worded letter, and he plans to take the newspaper to court.

"I'm hoping to take a lot of people along with me. So I'm just encouraging as many people who feel they have been defamed, who feel they have been misrepresented by the Fiji Sun and we're all going to pitch in and take this mega newspaper to court."

Peter Waqavonovono.

The Fiji Sun newspaper has rejected a ruling by the country's Media Industry Development Authority against one of its journalists, Jyoti Pratibha.

MIDA has ruled that two articles about opposition parties were antagonistic, thoroughly yoked in the logic of race and bereft of facts, while an article about Sodelpa's youth leader, Peter Waqavonovono, was defamatory and incriminating in nature.

In an article in today's Fiji Sun, publisher Peter Lomas says the ruling appears to have been made by MIDA's chair, Ashwin Raj, alone.

He says Ms Pratibha's robust reporting is being targeted through a smear campaign by people linked to the opposition.

Mr Lomas says all news media should be concerned by the ruling, which could mean Fijian journalism can be stifled by the opinion of one man.

He says the Fiji Sun's lawyers will be looking at all options in response.